Criminal Minds actress AJ Cook is trying to shed her baby weight. Check back here each month to see how she’s putting Health’s Feel Great Weight plan to work. Her story: “I gained 40 pounds during a difficult pregnancy on national TV! That was tough—it’s hard to see your body change and have no control over it. But now I want people to see that I have to work just as hard as anyone else to take it off. And I really feel strongly that it’s important to do it the healthy way. Now that I’m back on the show, I have crazy hours, which makes things tricky. (That, and staying away from baked goods—I love a good vanilla or red velvet cupcake!) But my goal is to get back to a toned and healthy body, even if I don’t get all the way back to my prepregnancy weight. And, honestly, I’m OK with that now because when I come home after a long day and see Mekhai smile at me it’s all worth it!” AJ’s stats Age: 30 Height: 5′ 5.5″ Weight: 131.5 Waist: 30″ Hips: 37″ Body fat: 24.5% Goal: 115 Next Page:  April 2009 Results “This past month, I experienced a lot of mom guilt. Who was I to put time for myself—like fitting in workouts—before time with my baby? But I finally realized that by taking care of myself, I would have more energy for my son and could better take care of him and my family. That kept me going.” Height: 5′ 5.5″ Goal: 115 lbs Starting Current Loss to Date Weight (lbs) 131.5 127.5 4 Waist 30″ 27.5″ 2.5″ Hips 37″ 36.5″ 0.5″ Body Fat 24.5% 22% 2.5% Next Page:  May 2009 Results “No doubt, the second month on the program was harder. In the first month, you’re all revved and ready to go—then in the second month, you hit a mental wall. You start thinking ‘Is this happening fast enough?’ Also, I was traveling a lot during this month and got extremely worn down and tired, which made it harder. Then I got really sick with a bad cold. And finally, I had an ankle injury that made working out a challenge too. Put all that together and I just wanted to stay curled up under a blanket. That’s when I really realized the value of a support team. First, my doctor told me that in the fourth month after giving birth, there is one more big hormonal adjustment in the body. That helped explain my extreme fatigue all the time. Once I knew what was going on (I was starting to think I had mono or something!), I realized I was just zapped, and that made me feel better. Second, my trainer found ways to work around my injured ankle—which we eventually figured out was due to my wearing terrible sneakers. I went and got fitted properly for a new pair (even took a treadmill test) and wow, what a difference. I would highly suggest making sure you have good sneakers that fit right if you’re working out regularly as a part of this program. And finally, knowing that I had these people to report to kept me from bailing on appointments. There is a real value in making yourself accountable to other people when you’re trying to reach your goals. It keeps you from talking yourself into staying on the couch instead of staying on track!” Starting Current Loss to Date Weight (lbs) 131.5 126.5 5 Waist 30″ 27″ 3″ Hips 37″ 35″ 2″ Body Fat 24.5% 21.5% 3% Next Page:  June 2009 Results Tom Rafalovich “Finding time for my workouts has been one of my biggest challenges. What’s helped is having accountability to my trainer—if I cancel, I know I’ll be letting him down, too. I also picked a gym near my home, so I can get there quickly. Plus, I try to squeeze in little workouts whenever and wherever I can, whether it’s doing some toning in my trailer during a break on set or pushing Mekhai in his stroller on my day off.” Height: 5′ 5.5″ Goal: 115 lbs Starting Current Loss to Date Weight (lbs) 131.5 124.5 7 Waist 30″ 24″ 6″ Hips 37″ 35″ 2″ Body Fat 24.5% 20% 4.5% Next Page:  Summer Results Tom Rafalovich “If I find myself getting bored or wanting to quit, I try to switch things up by trying new recipes and activities. I can’t let myself slack off because I’m accountable—my RD and trainer are going to know if I do! You can’t fake your way through this. There’s nowhere to hide. I’ve learned to take responsibility and do it 100 percent, and I’m almost there!” “My results have started to motivate my husband, who is now saying, ‘You’re looking so good, I have to drag my butt back into the gym.’ Height: 5′ 5.5″ Goal: 115 lbs Starting Current Loss to Date Weight (lbs) 131.5 123 8.5 Waist 30″ 24″ 6″ Hips 37″ 35″ 2″ Body Fat 24.5% 16.5% 8% Next Page:  AJ’s Goal Weight Istockphoto “I’m so grateful because The Feel Great Weight program really helped me get my body back. I feel strong—and I love the way I look now. I got back into my favorite little black dress! I’m excited I’ve had such great success, and I know I can do this on my own now. I’ve been reprogrammed—not only my body but also my mind.” Height: 5′ 5.5″ Goal: 115 lbs What AJ has Lost Weight: 12.5 lbs. Waist: 6″ Hips: 3.5″ Body fat: 8% Starting Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Current Weight (lbs) 131.5 127.5 126.5 124.5 123 119 Waist 30″ 27.5″ 27″ 24″ 24″ 24″ Hips 37″ 36.5″ 35″ 35″ 35″ 33.5″ Body Fat 24.5% 22% 21.5% 20% 16.5% 16.5%

To lose up to 12 pounds in 4 weeks, do Cara’s workout and follow her simple diet plan: Aim to eat around 1,300 calories per day (roughly 350 calories each for breakfast and lunch, 300 calories for dinner, plus three 100-calorie snacks), making sure to munch on something every three hours to stay satisfied and curb cravings. Fill up with complex carbs (think: whole grains), fruit, veggies, and lean protein. Keep an eye on your portion sizes (visit Health.com/portions for a handy guide). Also, be sure to drink at least eight large glasses of water or seltzer per day, adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a splash of cranberry juice for refreshing flavor. Cara’s shape-up-for-summer meal plan (Here are some options for each meal of the day) Breakfast: • One serving steel-cut oatmeal topped with small sliced banana, a sprinkling of berries, and a drizzle of honey or dash of raw sugar on top. Add 3 scrambled egg whites cooked with a cooking spray and broccoli or spinach. • Two slices high-fiber whole-wheat toast, each with an egg on top. Add a grapefruit or an orange. • A low-calorie yogurt (under 120 calories per serving), plus one serving of high-fiber cereal with one cup skim milk or soymilk. Lunch: • A large salad of mixed greens, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, and string beans; add 3 ounces of grilled or steamed chicken on top. In place of salad dressing, squeeze a lemon or lime over the salad and lightly salt and pepper. Add a slice of whole-wheat toast and a small banana. • A 4-ounce serving of white steamed fish with steamed veggies on the side. Add a serving of quinoa and a small banana. • A two-egg omelet made with spinach and broccoli. Add a serving of brown rice and a small banana. Morning and afternoon snack: • Low-fat yogurt topped with mixed berries. • String cheese with a few whole grain crackers or a slice of light whole-wheat toast. • 10 almonds and a small apple. • A few slices of low-sodium turkey or chicken breast, plus celery or carrot sticks. • A cup of grapes with a serving of low-fat cheese Dinner options: • 5 ounces steamed white fish with a large plate of steamed veggies. • 5 ounces steamed chicken with a large plate of steamed veggies. • 5 ounces lean pork with a large plate of steamed veggies. Evening snack options: • A cup of fresh veggies or celery/carrot sticks dipped in a half-serving of low-calorie Ranch salad dressing (40 calories or less). • A handful of almonds. • A piece of string cheese. • A low-fat yogurt.

Whole grains are healthy for us because they’re loaded with immune-boosting vitamins, energy sustaining carbs, filling fiber to encourage weight loss, and are a low-fat source of protein. With so many to choose from, find out which grains are lowest in calories and which offer the most fiber and protein.

A common suggestion to lose weight is to eat salads for meals. While the fresh veggies are healthy and delicious, the tasty toppings of cheese and nuts can add hundreds of extra calories. Your simple salad could end up containing half a day’s worth of calories! Check out the list of popular salad toppings below, and be extra aware that the more toppings you add, the more calories are going into your body. I still believe salads make excellent meals, but hopefully this nutritional breakdown will help keep your salads healthy.

How much calcium should I get? What about vitamin B12? If you’re curious to know how much you need each day of your basic vitamins and minerals, this chart is for you! It tells you the recommended daily intake (RDI) of each nutrient, and what you need to eat to obtain it.

Whether you’re avoiding cow’s milk for health or moral reasons, there are tons of dairy-free beverages to pour over your bowl of cereal. Not sure which is the best choice? Check out the chart to see how milk alternatives compare to skim milk, and then read the explanations below to see why you might want to choose one over the other. We put skim milk on the top of the chart to help make the comparisons between dairy and nondairy milks.

Celebrate the warmer weather with this recipe for a healthy kale pesto that reader prepel posted in the Healthy Recipe community group . Superfood Pesto original Six superfoods mixed into one simple recipe! Ingredients Kale, 6-8 leaves torn into chunks 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons water Juice from 1/4 lemon 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds 1 garlic clove, sliced 6 parsley leaves Directions Add kale, lemon juice, garlic, and sunflower seeds into food processor and process until a pastey texture forms. Add olive oil and one tablespoon water. Process and scrape down sides as needed – 3-4 minutes. Add parsley leaves and one tablespoon water and process again, stopping to scrape, until a smooth texture forms. Makes 1.5 cups. Use as a dip, pasta sauce, or put on a slice of wholegrain bread with tomato and enjoy! Print recipe with images | without images Got a similarly delicious recipe? Head on over to the Healthy Recipe community group and share one of your own.

Was politics ? or mental illness ? to blame for deadly Arizona shootings? News-Herald.com But I'm interested to see if this person had a mental illness," said Spence Kline, executive director of the Mentor-based Neighboring mental health service … Jared Loughner Attack on Gabrielle Giffords: America's Mental Health Breakdown Huffington Post (blog) A Portrait of a Disturbed Assailant New Republic (blog) On mental illness and crime Feministe (blog) all 3 news articles »

The Hindu Dr. Keith: Tragedy of Mental Illness Fox News As a forensic psychiatrist who also has run community mental health centers, hospitals and clinics, I can tell you for sure, without any question, … Questions about mental illness, access to guns follow Arizona shooting Washington Post Gabrielle Giffords, Jared Loughner and Mental Illness Huffington Post (blog) Jared Loughner Parents Knew He Had Mental Health Issues LALATE ABC News  - Los Angeles Times  - The Phoenix (blog) all 17,047 news articles »

If a child or an adolescent is suffering from behavior health issues, than a prolonged stay within the confined of a mental hospital may become necessary. Psychiatric hospitalization can be scary for everybody who is involved, and sometimes seeking the help of a professional psychiatrist without hospitalization is enough to resolve the issue. In order to ensure that psychiatric hospitalization is the right choice for your circumstances, make sure that you ask some very pointed questions before moving forward. The most important thing to ask is exactly what the purpose of the inpatient treatment truly is. The primary goal of the entire process is to make sure that your child or adolescent’s situation improves. If you can not receive a clear answer on this, you may want to pursue other options. You will also want to find out what the alternatives are. Psychiatric hospitalization is not the only way to deal with mental illness, and in many cases it could actually have adverse effects. At the same time, parents can have a tendency to downplay the severity of their child’s issues, so it is important to approach this subject with as objective a frame of mind as possible. It is also important to ask what will be involved during the inpatient program. Issues such as whether or not the student will be able to complete their schoolwork while in the program are worth asking about. Furthermore, it is important to identify just how long the child will stay in the inpatient program. This is important for several reasons. Of course, it is important to understand how long the child will be isolated from every day life, and to what extent. In addition, while it is never favorable to think about money under these circumstances, in many cases it is necessary in order to avoid further emotional turmoil. Furthermore, it is important to understand what will happen if the insurance company denies coverage, even when treatment is still needed. One of the most factors to consider is whether the child will be receiving treatment from individuals who are specifically trained in the treatment of children or adolescents. The child and adolescent brain has notable differences from the fully adult brain, and a psychiatrist must fully understand these differences in order to achieve the best possible results with your child. Finally, it is important to understand how you will be involved in the process. Behavioral health programs are typically much more effective when family is involved in the process.